Your Doctor Is In: MRSA

Q: Do I really need to worry about MRSA?

A: I’m not overly alarmed—yet. MRSA is a type of staph bacteria that has become resistant to an antibiotic called methicillin and other similar drugs. More than 80 percent of these infections hit hospital patients, but a growing number are happening outside of the healthcare setting—sometimes in young, healthy people.

Q: We know—two staffers have had it, but they’re both OK now.

A: When caught in the early stages, MRSA can be successfully treated with super strong non-methicillin antibiotics—and in some cases, people’s immune systems kill the infection on their own.

Q: But didn’t MRSA kill more people than HIV/AIDS last year?

A: Yes—a total of 18,000 people; but most were hospitalized and very sick to begin with. MRSA is much more common than it used to be, but your odds of getting it are still low, and your odds of dying from it are even lower. And there are things you can do to protect yourself.

Q: OK, deep breath. Like what?

A: MRSA is transmitted by contact, so wash your hands often—and it can infect open wounds, so also make sure to clean and bandage any open cuts, scratches, scrapes, sores, even blisters or paper cuts, that you might have once ignored. And keep an eye on any cuts as they heal; if they look inflamed and red get them checked out.

Q: Anything else?

A: Stick to regular soap or alcohol-based hand-sanitizers—the ingredient triclosan in some anti-bacterial products may contribute to the overall problem of creating stronger bacteria. And use antibiotics responsibly—overuse and abuse of these drugs that has really led to the development of bugs like MRSA. Always take them as directed and never pressure your doctor to give you antibiotics if she doesn’t think they’ll help you.